Pkotectionrdevice



March 13, 1945. JAFFA PROTECTION DEVICE Filed April 8, 1943 SECTION TI'IEU FILLER PIPE Fig. 4 [WENTOE Maze) JAFFA gym? W Patented Mar. 13, 1945 TENT emee 4 'Glain s.

This invention relates to an -article of manufacture which is adapted toibecusedior preventingremoval of liquids fromttanlesiequipped awith afillerepipe. Automotive vehicles-firc-normally equipped-witha filler-pipe extending fromalocation outsideof the vehiclatola concealedgasoline tank. Thettheftof gasoline fIDmT SllCh; automo- .tive vehicle tankscan easily: be; accomplished by siphoningofigasoline through;the filler pipe by inserting arubbertube therein.

. It 1. is-an. objector. theipresen into suchafiller .pipeot-a tanksoias tmprevent the insertion .of asiphoning hose through .the

filler pipe/but Without, atithesame .tirne .obstructing the normalirifiow of gasolinelcr l other fuel through thefiller, pipe;

"It is also an object oft einventioh toprovi'de Other and further objects of thednvention'im olude'the provision of a simple convenient article of manufacture capable of performing the useful Within the ithimble, there are positioned two generally .U-shaped -wiresandt2l, which are substantially identicallin shape.

tinuous .and .has-abottom ,portion 22 and .porv hone-'23 which extend longitudinally of the .thimblesfromlthe c1OSed.:end 1.2..to the open end le.

Theportions 23 of .thewires extend beyond the open-end. l4. and are curwedoutwardly area. {The curved .endsof the wirearepreferablyclipped so I .10

t invention toipro- I Videanapparatus capable of being-.easilylinserted as .to ,provide. aYsharp edge125. "The portion "22 ofIthe wire 20 extends across the base of the rhinible, preferab1y diametrically or as a chord. The wire 2| Jis pre'ferably the same shape as wirelfit and has a portion 26 extending across'thebase a device whichomaybe rea'dily'inserted with simpletools but which locks into. place so as'to resist removal.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the lines 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view in elevation of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional view along lines 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view in elevation showing a further modified form of the invention, and

Figure 7 is a sectional view along the lines l---'! of Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the apparatus consists of a thimble, generally designated ill, of metal or other suitable material such as plastic material. The thimble is preferably, though not necessarily, cylindrical in shape having sidewalls II and a bottom wall l2. The sidewalls H are perforated by means of rectangular or other shaped apertures l3 and the bottom is provided with arcuate circumferential apertures I5 and a center aperture I6.

I2 of thethimble crosswise of the portion 22. The

ftwo wires20 aridi2l are resilientandnormally assume" the position shown in'Figure 2, in which position they bear outwardly against the upper edgel4t0fthe thimble. 'Thewires20 and 2| are 'of hard springy metal .andare assembled into i 'a'washer, generally designated-iii.

The washer 30 has a large circumferentialppening tland is punched out at- 32 soasto'permittheportions 23-23 of the wire 20 and similar portions 2'! of the wire 2i to pass therethrough; .The upper curves 24 of the wire 20 and the similar curves of the wire 2| are bent into the wires after assembling onto the washer 3. The wire and washer assembly is then pushed into the thimble l0 until thecrosswires 22-28 are in engagement with the bottom l2 of the thimble, and a portion of the metal of the sidewall ll of the thimble is bent down as shown at I! so as to hold the washer in place.

In use, the assembled article of manufacture is inserted through the opening I of a filler pipe, generally designated 2. Upon insertion, the wires are pushed radially inwardly and tips 25 of the wires engage the inner surface of the filler pipe, with the result that the entire spring force of the wires is concentrated upon the tips 25 engaging the inner surface of the filler pipe. The sharp tips 25-25 tend to bite into the metal of the filler pipe and consequently lock the unit in place. The unit is pushed into the filler pipe by means of a broom stick or hammer handle until it is sufficiently far down in the filler pipe to be out It may be noted that thetips 25 of the wires are clipped oil so as to provide a slanting surface in the direction of insertion, and the point therefore tends to dig into the inner wall-of the filler pipe if any attempt is made to withdraw the unit.

In the apparatus shown in Figures 4 and 5, the wires, generally designated 20A and 21A, are of fiat steel spring stock, and washer 30A, instead of being punched to receive the fiat stock, is merely notched out as shown at 32A. The washer 30A is made of a size such that it must be pressed into the inside Of the thimble l and cannot be removed except by the use of excessive force. The washer 30 may, if desired, be locked in place by spotwelding or by crimping as shown at I! in Figure 2.

In Figures 6 and 7, there is illustrated a further modification of the invention wherein the wires.

generally designated and 2|, are held in place by means of crimps 40, formed by curving the metal from the sidewall ll of the thimble l0 around the portions 23 and 2'! of the Wires. By this mode of fastening, the portions 23 and 21 of the wires are held closely adjacent the sidewall H of the thimble and the springy action is very pronounced thus holding the tips 25 of the wires into hard contact with the inside of the filler pipe.

In each of these forms of the invention herein shown, the thimble establishes the outer diameter positions of the wires 20 and 2| in the relaxed portion and thus permits accurate assembly. This is a convenience in respect to insertion of the device in filler pipes of automobiles. At the same time, the thimble serves to prevent tipping of the wires but allows free radial movement'so as to enable the wires to lock the device in place, during use.

Many obvious variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art and such are intended to be within purview of the invention illustrated, described and claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. An article of manufacture comprising a relatively large thimble having sidewalls and an enclosed base, said thimble being perforated, a washer having perforations therein fitted to nest into the thimble against the base, a plurality of wires fastened to the washer extending across the washer, said wires being bent to extend alongv the inner wall of the thimble toward the open end thereof, said wires extending beyond the open end of the thimble a distance less than twice the axial length of the thimble, the extending ends being bent outwardly and terminated in a circle, the diameter of which is less than twice the diameter of the thimble when the device is in use, said washer being crimped into the thimble over the wires to hold the latter in assembled relation.

2. A deviceof the type set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that the wires are round stock and pass through holes in the washer for retention thereto. I

3. A device of the type set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that the wires are flat stock, positioned to lie against the inner surface of the thimble when in relaxed position.

4. An article of manufacture comprising a relatively large thimblehaving an enclosing sidewall and bottom, said sidewall and bottom being periorated, wires shaped to extend across the bottom and then longitudinally along opposite portions of the inside of the sidewall, said longitudinal portionsof said wires being extended beyond the sidewall a distance less than twice the axial length of the thimble and curved outwardly, said wires being attached to the thimble adjacent the bottom thereof bymeans of a superimposed washer which is in turn fastened to the thimble, the ends of said wires being terminated in a circle, the diameter of which is less than twice the diameter of the thimble when the device is in place in a pipe.

HARRY JAFFA. 

